


I Love You 3000

by Super_Danvers



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Age of Ultron, Avengers - Freeform, Avengers Endgame, Captain America - Freeform, Captain Marvel - Freeform, Civil War, Doctor Strange - Freeform, Endgame, Infinity War, Iron Man - Freeform, Marvel - Freeform, Multi, ant man - Freeform, avenger - Freeform, one shots, post Endgame, russos, spiderman - Freeform, the wasp - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-02-29 02:53:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18769732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Super_Danvers/pseuds/Super_Danvers
Summary: After the events of Endgame (my heart am I right?) I thought i'd write some one shots (some will probably expand) just to see where our beauties are now. Some may be set in the past, others the present and some I just felt like doing. I hope you enjoy!





	1. Peanut

“Dad, I’m scared.”

Cassie Lang’s voice came out like a kicked puppy, a helpless whimper, and she hated it. Hated how weak she sounded, hated how she’d even called out in the first place. She felt like she was five, not fifteen. But her voice had a mind of its own.

“Dad?” It cried out in rising panic, becoming shriller. The clicking of ants all around her was making her feel suffocated.

A firm hand squeezed her shoulder, relaxing her body with its grip. “It’s okay, Peanut, I’m right here.” The familiar voice reminded her. “Do you want out?”

Cassie kept her eyes forward, trying her best not to look at her father. She answered his question with a miniscule nod. Scott murmured a quiet command into his suit and suddenly the two were wrenched from the darkness of the caves and into the familiar laboratory of Dr Pym. It was empty, bar from the two Langs and the small ant farm from which they’d just emerged. The moment Cassie had recovered from her dizziness, she unclicked her helmet and pulled her Game of Thrones hoodie over the suit and stalked out of the room.

“Cass, wait!” Scott called after her, but the teenager instead just slammed the door quite forcefully behind her.

It was re-opened seconds later but the very confused-looking Janet Pym, who glanced over her shoulder to where the teenager had just skulked past. “Anything the matter?” She inquired, looking over at Scott expectantly. He unclicked his helmet and sighed heavily, his shoulders drooping forward heavily. It brought a small smile to Janet’s face, and she handed him a coffee she’d brought in with her. “That bad, huh?” She chuckled.

Scott sighed again and leaned against one of Hank’s metal tables. He shook his head tiredly. “It’s like she doesn’t want to be around me anymore.” He mumbled. “Do you think I’ve done something wrong?”

Janet smiled wistfully and squeezed her friend’s shoulder, coming to sit beside him on the table. “She’s a teenager. You know what they’re like at that age.”

“Not really, no.” Scott replied. “I’ve never had a teenager before.”

That earned another smile as Janet pinched the bridge of her nose. “Me neither.” She admitted. There was a moment of heavy silence before Janet spoke again. “Perhaps you should talk to Hope about this? I think she’d know about Cassie’s situation a little better than us two.”

Scott heard the sadness in Janet’s voice as he lifted his head to look at her. The threat of tears was making her eyes as glassy as his. She took a sip of her own coffee, but Scott could tell her mind was elsewhere. He nudged her shoulder gently. “So how many years have we missed combined?”

Janet let out a tiny scoff. “Are we counting Decimation years too?”

Scott returned a casual shrug. “If you want.”

“I’m thirty-five, sort of. You’re on five, possibly more with jail time.”

This time it was Scott’s turn to scoff. His shoulders shook slightly as he once again, sighed heavily. “I’m scared to even let Cassie out of my sight nowadays. What if I blink and suddenly, she’s thirty?” He explained his worries. “I’ve already lost so much time with her – I can’t lose anymore.”

Janet took another sip of coffee before squeezing Scott’s shoulder again. “This is where I might be able to offer you some relevant advice. Scott, after spending thirty years in the quantum realm, I missed a whole lifetime of firsts with Hope. Her first day of high school, her first prom, her first teenage rebellion, her first kiss, her first day of college – you can’t spend your time thinking about everything you’ve lost. I left a little girl and then I returned to a fully grown adult – someone who doesn’t know me. You have to treasure the now, Scott. It’s a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.”

Scott smiled, his face brightening a little. “Janet, you know I value your opinion and your advice.” He told her. “But you did not just quote Kung Fu Panda to me.”

Janet laughed, her shoulders bouncing her long white hair up and down. “What can I say? Master Oogway is a wise guy.”

“I’ll take note of that in future.”

Janet nudged him. “But seriously, listen. If you keep trying to hold onto the past, you and Cassie will never have a future.” She told him knowingly. “Like I said, maybe you should speak with Hope and get her point of view on things – that should help to understand what Cassie is going through.”

Scott nodded, taking notes in his head. He ended the conversation by standing properly and giving Janet a tight hug. “You’re really good at these, you know.” He remarked, noticing how tightly she held onto him. “Hugs and advice.”

“So, I haven’t completely failed as a parent.” Janet joked, letting Scott go. “Go on, you should go and catch up to her, I’ll clean up here. Ava and I have our guidance session in ten minutes.”

Scott nodded his thanks – more grateful for Janet’s guidance than she could ever know – and followed where Cassie had left. As he passed through the door, he met his usual neighbour of the hallways. Ava Starr offered Scott a shy smile as she slipped past him, hurrying slightly to join Janet. The dark-haired girl had become a friend of the Pym’s, resurfacing after the effects of the Decimation were reversed. With Hope and Janet’s help, she’d been learning how to deal with her phasing pains and her powers. Scott tipped an invisible cap to Ava as she settled herself into one of the purple armchairs, shutting the door behind him.

 Before pursuing his daughter, Scott quickly changed out of the Ant Man suit, wearing instead his usual hoodie and loose jeans.

He didn’t have to search the Pym house for long – finding his daughter hunched at the bottom of the staircase. Hope, wearing her hair down and her long coat that reached her ankles, was sat beside Cassie with an arm hooked around her shoulders. The two were curled into each other, Hope murmuring something to Cassie softly, and the teenager whispering her own replies. When she noticed her partner’s presence, The Wasp offered a comforting smile to Scott as Cassie leaned her head on her shoulders, burying her face into Hope’s coat.

“Everything okay here?” Scott asked quietly, trying not to startle the two women. He leaned against the bottom of the stair railing, observing Hope and Cassie silently.

They looked a pair. Admittedly, they’d become very close since Tony’s funeral – their reunion before the reception had brought several tears to several people’s eyes. Even Hank had shed one. It made Scott proud to see them spend time together, to see Hope become more than a friend to his daughter. They shared Hope’s suit as Cassie learned how to control the ants, and so her wings protruded through her hoodie, resting on the stairs behind them. Hope only brushed them aside. Scott was brought out of his reverie when he felt eyes watching him.

“Sorry, what?”

Hope looked at him expectantly, although she smiled at his absent-mindedness. “I was just talking with Cassie but I wondered if you two needed some alone time?”

Cassie didn’t say anything, so Scott just nodded. “That’d be great, thank you. Catch up in a few?” He suggested, aiding Hope to her feet.

She returned the nod. “Sure thing.”

Hope placed a kiss on Cassie’s forehead, rubbing her shoulder before she straightened up again, placed another on Scott’s cheek and then turned to walk down the hallway. Waiting until Hope’s footsteps receded into silence, Scott took her place on the stairs beside the silent Cassie.

“Hey, Peanut.” He greeted softly after a couple of moments, nudging her playfully with his shoulder. Cassie didn’t say anything for a while, just staring at the floorboards like they were the eighth wonder of the world. Scott nudged her again. “Stare at the floorboards too long and the wind will change. Your face will stay like that.”

Cassie shook her head stubbornly. “There is no wind.” She muttered.

Scott noted that the girl’s tone wasn’t unfriendly, but it wasn’t her usual warm self either. Then again, Scott didn’t know her usual self anymore. Once again, he nudged her. “What’s the matter? You can tell me.”

Cassie shook her head again, ever the stubborn mule her mother had grown to see was her father’s inheriting quality. “I was scared.” She finally admitted, still staring straight ahead.

Scott exhaled, glad to hear her voice and that she didn’t hate him. “It’s okay to be scared, Cas. You know, when I was learning to be Ant Man – I once went full size in the middle of the garden-“

“It’s not that.” Cassie interrupted, scuffing her shoe on the stair. Scott reached into his daughter’s lap and squeezed her hand reassuringly. Cassie took a deep breath. “You disappeared. You were gone.”

Scott frowned for a second before he realised what she was talking about. “You mean the snap? How I was gone?”

“You were _all_ gone.” Cassie shot with almost a nasty tone to her voice. Scott could spy the tears forming in her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks. “You were gone. Hope was gone. Dr Pym was gone. Even _Ava_ was gone!”

“I’m sorry, Peanut-“

“Please…” The teenager exhaled, holding up a hand. “Please don’t call me that.”

“But-“

“I spent five years – _five years_ – waiting for my dad to be stood on our doorstep to call me that. To open the door and take me out for ice cream, to take me to soccer practice, to teach me how to be like you. I had to sit and watch them tow your truck into storage, carve your name your name on the list of the missing! Do you know what that was like, Dad? To have a dad who was gone? _Again?_ “ The tears were starting to flow now as the teenager got more and more upset. “And you couldn’t even help it! That’s the worst part – I couldn’t be angry at you or any of the others. So, I had to be strong for you, be just as strong as Ant Man. I was scared, and I wasn’t even allowed to be.”

Scott couldn’t hear it anymore, and he pulled his daughter into a strong hug. Both of them sobbed into each other, Scott apologising over and over whilst Cassie just held onto his jumper so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

“I never want to leave you again, Cassie.” He cried, his tears making Cassie’s hoodie damp. “I will always be hear for you, okay? I promise. I am always here.”

Scott pulled out of the hug, holding his daughter’s face in his hands. Her dark eyes were full of tears and her hair had been made damp, clinging to her face through her sobs.

“Cassie Lang, I have lost so much time with you. I can’t make up for that. Not now, and not ever. I can only promise you today. I can’t promise every day, no father or greatest grandma can.” He told her. “I don’t need you to be strong, okay? Not for me, not for Hope, not for anyone. Only you. I need you to be you – be Cassie Lang.”

Scott lowered his gaze to make contact with Cassie’s, and he smiled proudly. After a few moments, Cassie returned it, squeezing his hand tightly. She pulled him into another hug.

“I love you, Dad.” She whimpered.

“I love you too, Peanut.”


	2. Sisters

Gamora sat by the lakeside, fiddling with the bands around her fingers and scuffing mud into the lake with the toe of her boot. The sun was shining, although dimming by the arrival of the evening. The sky, beginning to turn a light purple, was clear of cloud and the trees were clear of wind. The hum of crickets was steady as was the gentle tweeting of birds. Gamora lulled her eyes around droopily as she continued to kick the mud into the lake.

“Don’t do that.” An icy voice murmured from behind her.

Gamora stopped fiddling with her rings, rolling her head on her shoulder to look behind her lazily. Nebula, her sister, was walking towards her with her hands stuffed in the pockets of a dark grey hoodie. Her dark eyes were glued to her own feet as she avoided her sister’s gaze – kicking her boots in the grass.

“Sorry.” Gamora muttered as Nebula sat down beside her. She pointed one finger at the lake, her head still resting on her shoulder. “You like this place?”

Nebula gave a minute shrug, watching the lake as if she was waiting for something to happen. “Not particularly – it’s nice.” She replied.

Gamora followed her sister’s gaze. “It must be weird for you.”

“-and not you?” The blue girl countered, a slight sharpness to her tone.

“You know I don’t mean it like that.” Gamora replied. “At least I hope you don’t. I don’t know – I don’t know you.”

Nebula felt that comment like a kick to the stomach – yet she knew her sister couldn’t help it. She tried not to let her feeling show. “You’re my older sister. You _were_.”

Gamora chuckled, folding her legs and leaning back on her hands. “Now you’re mine.” She shook her head in a wry smile. Nebula raised an eyebrow – returning her own humour. After a moment, her sister’s quiet laughter died down and she pointed at the lake again. “You two, you were close?”

Nebula sighed heavily, the metal in her throat making her breath whistle ever so slightly. “We spent a month on a ship and didn’t kill each other.” She replied, making Gamora lower her eyes. “He taught me paper football.”

Gamora frowned. “What’s paper football?”

Nebula managed a half smile. “I’ll teach you.”

The green girl shrugged, nodding to herself. Sister bonding time, great. “So, you were closer than me and you, huh? What was he like? Off the battlefield and out of the suit, I mean.”

A bird flew out of a bush on the other side of the river, catching both of the women’s attention. It was a dove that flew up, up, up into the sky and away over the trees. The sisters watched it in quiet appreciation before they were startled by the sound of a loud cry coming from the same bush. Nebula sat up straighter but relaxed when she realised what it was.

The young, dark-haired Morgan Stark ran out from behind the bush, her little legs carrying her quickly towards the Stark home. A swan of considerable size was following, flapping its large wings in a manner that made the little girl squeal with a mixture of fear and laughter. Nebula smirked as she watched the six-year-old sprint away from the pursuing bird. Gamora frowned at the bizarre scene but it lightened her heart to see her sister smile properly.

“I’ve never seen you smile before.” She commented.

Nebula’s grin faded at her sister’s comment and the girl managed to escape inside the house, avoiding the swan. She shrugged, sitting straight. “It’s not like we had the childhood to smile about.”

“I guess not.” Gamora finished. Her memory had no problem when it came to thinking about all she and Nebula had gone through. Remembering the blue girl pinning her down until her arm broke and then turning the tables by breaking her sister’s jaw. Nebula hadn’t returned to her bed that night.

“He was smart, the smartest.” Nebula murmured, referring back to Gamora’s original question. Another smirk reached the corners of her lips. “He was stubborn, like you. Never gave up, not until he’d won.”

“Like me?” Gamora raised an eyebrow.

Nebula glanced at the green girl again, studying her face. She looked away again. “Like you.” She finally sighed.

Gamora smiled, but said nothing. The silence held bated breaths, neither sister wanting to talk first. The crickets felt extra loud now, like a symphony in a concert hall. Nebula only listened to the water lapping against its low banks, thinking how she rarely got to hear natural water. Gamora herself closed her eyes, lying on her back against the soft green grass, and sighed heavily.

“What do we do now?” She asked gently, keeping her eyes closed as she listened to the wind through the trees above her. It made her feel like she was floating. “Where do we go from here?”

When Nebula didn’t reply, Gamora opened her eyes again. Peeking them open, she cast a side glance to the other woman. Nebula was staring back at her, and for the first time in her life, Gamora saw genuine feeling. Her sister was sat in a hunched position, her arms wrapped around her knees that were drawn up to her chest. Her face, hidden only a little by her shoulder, wore an expression of … almost sorrow. Her eyes, although black in iris and pupil, quivered slightly as she focused on Gamora. She looked like she was trying not to cry.

Nebula turned her head away, looking back out onto the lake. Gamora, being the person, she was deep down, sat up again and wrapped her arms around Nebula’s shoulders, pulling her into her chest. Had she done that seven years ago, Gamora probably would’ve ended up with a broken nose and her arms wrenched out of their sockets.

Instead, Nebula froze for a couple of seconds but the second she felt the other woman’s head bury into her shoulder, she relaxed and leaned back. Gamora’s hands lowered to her sister’s waist as she hugged her comfortingly. Nebula held onto one, her eyes never wavering from the lake, and then let it flop back into her lap. Gamora rested her chin onto her shoulder.

“You’ll always be my sister.”

Nebula looked down at her lap, at the green hands wrapped around her, at the dark hair that flickered in the corner of her eye. For a moment, just for a moment, she felt like her old sister was back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I know this is only a short one, but I am going to add to it in time! I hope you're enjoying - what other interaction do you want to see?


	3. Fury

Watching the Stark funeral was one of the hardest things Nicholas Joseph Fury would ever do. As Tony’s reactor floated out on its crown of flowers, Fury studied the attendees of the mournful gathering. At the front, partially hidden, Pepper was crouched at the edge of the pier with Morgan wrapped up in her arms. The young Mr. Parker was accompanied by his aunt and even from Fury’s distance, he could hear the boy’s sniffling. Steve stood stoically with Thor beside him, his hand on his shoulder. The god had tears in his eyes, but still stood as tall as he always did.

Behind the Parkers were the Pyms. Janet and Hank stood shoulder to shoulder with their daughter Hope, who had her arm linked with Scott’s. Hank had been uncomfortable at first, pondering whether it was respectful for them to be at the Starks’ considering their family’s history. Hope, along with her mother, had vehemently forced him. The Guardians stood a short distance away, the green woman Gamora even further.

Fury had snuck into the funeral, being late, and so stood at the back alongside Maria. Metres in front of him, stood on the middle step of the Stark porch, was his oldest friend. Carol Danvers had her hands interlocked over her black suit, folded just above her abdomen. Fury’s eyes shone proudly, she had no idea he was behind her. The funeral music continued to play sombrely, a gentle harmony of strings humming together elegantly. A few quiet weeps were heard, some muffled by tissues and others by friends’ hugs. The reactor floated to the other side of the lake, where it was collected by Banner, who carried it back slowly. The ceremony ended with a quiet thank you from Morgan Stark whilst her mother remained on the pier.

As the funeral goers disbanded to talk amongst themselves, Fury watched Carol sigh and step down from the porch to walk towards Peter whilst Maria made her own way into the crowd. The boy was still holding back his tears but biting his lip wasn’t enough. He crumpled as Carol approached, sobbing into his aunt’s blouse. His friend, who Fury recognised as MJ, stood beside them with one hand holding his for support. Carol merely squeezed May’s shoulder, then Peter’s, and moved on. Fury, remaining in his stand, watched as she moved amongst the other people and made small talk as she did. The only time he broke his eyes from her was when Happy passed with Morgan tucked into the crook of his elbow.

“Fury.” Happy greeted quietly.

“Hogan.” Fury regarded, his attention mainly focused on the little girl. He offered his hand. “Hello, Miss Stark.”

Happy rolled his eyes at the agent’s formality but Morgan just giggled. “Hi.” She returned, her eyes making a little crinkle as she smiled.

Fury just nodded, allowing Happy to move away and sit down on a bench with the girl. As they did, Fury redirected his gaze to where Carol was, which was with her back to him as she spoke to Thor. She was pointing to the guardians, looking like she was suggesting something to the man. Fury made his way down the steps and walked towards her, and had nearly reached her when Thor had started making his way towards Quill.

“To be honest, I’m a little offended you didn’t come and see me.” Fury spoke with a playful tone. He noticed how Carol froze in her movements, her head tilting to the side for a moment as if she almost hadn’t heard him. Slowly, achingly slowly, she turned around. Fury smiled. “I’m glad to see your fashion sense has improved.”

Carol looked frozen in horror, staring at him. Her dark brown eyes were wide with tears threatening her cheeks, her mouth parted slightly in surprise. Her hand, which she’d been about to run through her short wavy hair, hung still in the air. She hadn’t aged a day, only her hair delayed the fact she’d changed in the past twenty-eight years. Fury raised his eyebrow.

“Nothing for me?” He asked with a grin.

His words seemed to knock Carol out of her reverie as she suddenly melted, rushing towards him and enveloping him in a bone-crushing hug. Fury returned the hug, much to raised eyebrows of people nearby, but neither Carol nor Fury had eyes for them. Their hug lasted long, saying almost everything it needed for the missed thirty years. Fury let her go but she stayed close, her hand reaching up to his left cheek. When her thumb brushed just under his patch, Fury smiled again.

“Your friend certainly left something to remember you by.” He chuckled heartily, earning a teary smile from the blonde as he referred to their flerken friend of the past.

She hadn’t even realised she was crying until she felt the tears splashing onto her jacket. Carol breathed a smile as she brushed his face with her hand. She studied him up and down. “You got old.” She finally managed.

“You didn’t.” He observed.

Carol grinned again, shrugging smugly. “Ah well you know, all this Kree blood – keeps me youthful.” She chuckled.

Fury scoffed sarcastically. “Typical.” He stood back a little and almost immediately it felt like they’d slipped into their old times, their typical banter. “It’s been a long time, Carol.”

Carol gazed up at him, brushing away her tears. She looked at the tips of her fingers, entranced by her own emotions. She wasn’t sure if they were sad or happy. “I’m sorry.” She mumbled. “I didn’t – I should’ve—”

Fury waved a hand. “Don’t worry about any of that now. Look at where we are.” He gestured around them, to the returned dusted. Carol looked doubtful, but she knew what his point meant. “Everybody is back – and that’s thanks to your help. You were here when needed.”

“Not everybody.” Carol gazed over to the returning Banner, who was welcomed back by Steve and Bucky. She eyed the reactor in his arms, also casting a glance to where Clint was stood at the water’s edge with Wanda. “We could’ve saved them.”

Fury put his hand on her shoulder. “We don’t know that.” Carol opened her mouth to protest but Fury shook his head. “Carol, look around you. These people, all of them. They’re here because of you.”

“I was barely-“ Carol started but Fury shook his head again.

“These are the Avengers, Carol. If we hadn’t met all those years ago, where would we be now? Not here, that’s what.” He told her calmly, a proud smile on his face. “I’m so proud of you Carol, and I know people’s opinions don’t matter to you – but –“

Fury didn’t get to finish before Carol enveloped him in another hug. Now she knew her tears were happy. “Okay, okay you can stop telling me how proud you are now.” She chuckled between sobs. “We should catch up without apologies.”

Fury let her go again, noticing Maria was stood not far away. “Well in that case.” He signalled to the S.H.I.E.L.D agent, motioning her over. “Captain Marvel, meet Maria Hill.”

Carol noticeably perked at the first name, turning around. Although it wasn’t the Maria she knew and loved, her welcoming smile didn’t falter as the brunette approached. Carol shot Fury a side glance. “Is that what you’ve been calling me?” She exclaimed, hurriedly trying to brush away her tears again.

Fury shrugged, a mischievous glint to his eye. Maria ignored him as she extended her hand. “Ma’am, it’s an honour. I’ve heard a lot about you.” She introduced, keeping her tone calm and professional.

Carol glanced at her hand, blinking simply. She renewed her smile, shaking her head. “Put that away, come here.” She opened her arms out. Maria looked a little taken aback by the friendliness of the heroine, but accepted the brief hug anyway. Carol gave her a small squeeze as she hugged her and spoke again as she let the agent go. “Oh, and it’s Carol. None of this _‘Captain Marvel’_ crap.”

Maria nodded, still maintaining her formal approach. “Okay.” She replied simply, feeling a little uncomfortable with calling her Carol but knew the blonde would further insist if she continued calling her ma’am.

“Listen, Maria, I just want to thank you for keeping my friend, Nick Joseph Fury, safe.” She said, grinning.

“Uh, now-“ Fury raised his hands.

Maria smirked, putting her hands on her hips. “His middle name is Joseph?” She questioned, raising an eyebrow and looking at Fury boldly.

“Uh huh, and-“ Carol threw an arm onto Maria’s shoulder, beginning to lead her away from Fury.

“No, no, Carol – Carol! Don’t – don’t you dare-“ He protested, but Carol waved him off.

“He can’t eat sandwiches if you slice it the wrong way!” She added, glancing back at him cheekily as Maria laughed. Fury watched them head away towards the larger crowds.

“Nick.” A small voice came from behind him.

Fury frowned, turning around and looking down. Morgan Stark stood behind him, grinning up at him. She had her father’s smirk and by god did Agent Fury see it. He put his hands on his hips, looking down at her with an annoyed expression. Morgan Stark was every bit her father’s daughter.


	4. The Romanoff Project

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Marvel ladies sit down to remember someone

The Romanoff Project +

It had been Carol Danvers that had suggested the first memorial dinner for Natasha Romanoff. Although she’d only known Nat for five years, Carol and the redhead had developed quite the friendship. They’d trained together, thought up strategies together and even eaten their peanut butter sandwiches together. Having heard she had not been given a funeral, the blonde had thought up the idea for the ceremony.

Attended by Okoye, Carol, Valkyrie, Wanda, Hope, Gamora, Nebula, Pepper, Shuri, Mantis, Laura Barton and Maria Hill: the dinner was quite the crowded service. Hosted on the Barton ranch, a long table had been set up in one of the fields. Adorned with Natasha’s favourite flowers, which were sunflowers, the table had been decorated beautifully with name cards, candles and origami napkins. Bottles and glasses of homemade lemonade was set beside paper plates. At the heads of the tables sat Wanda on one end and Laura at the other.

It was held in the late afternoon: one of the perfect times to hold a picnic, Pepper said. She was right. The sky was filled with swirls of baby pinks, pastel purples and blues – almost like a Van Gogh painting. A gentle wind blew through the trees, earning a soft rustle in the leaves. If you were sat in the swinging tyre on the top of the hill, like Lila Barton was, it was a beautiful scene. Watching the women walking down the hill together as a group, that was like watching soldiers returning from a war.

Everyone, once they’d found their name cards, took their seat. The women were in a talkative yet solemn mood, the atmosphere of the Stark funeral carrying over into the following day. The confections, which consisted of plates of meals up and down the table, all looked delicious. Gamora noticed her younger sister eyeing up the sausage rolls curiously. Playfully, she slapped the Luphomoid’s metallic hand away and gestured to Laura who was stood at the head of the table. Everybody noticed the standing woman, and a hushed silence fell amongst them.

Laura managed a smile, although it tried its best not to falter. “Thank you, thank you, thank you everybody.” She began, looking at every member sat at the table. “Before we begin, I just wanted to thank you all for coming – you, Pepper, especially – to our memorial dinner for our fallen friend, Natasha Romanoff.”

The Barton woman took a shaky breath as she saw the others’ hands tighten around their drinks. “Nat was a dear friend of mine; she was a sister to me and an aunt to my children. I will never forget the kindness she showed me and my family, nor the loyalty she showed my husband. Nat was–“ Laura broke off, tears beginning to run down her cheeks. “Nat was-“

Carol, who had been sat at Laura’s side, stood up and threw an arm around the woman’s shoulder and rubbed it comfortingly. She murmured something into Laura’s ear, to which she nodded and sat down. Carol, keeping a supporting hand on her shoulder, held up her own drink.

“I didn’t know Nat for a long time, but she was easily one of my greatest friends for five years. She never left the compound, she never wanted to give up in helping restore justice. She never wanted to go out for drinks, never even wanted to dye or cut her hair. I respect her and her loyalty to her family greatly. Natasha Romanoff was the best of us, the greatest, and she deserved more than she ever got.” Carol declared proudly, holding her drink up over the table. “To Natasha.”

All the other women cheered their chorus. “To Natasha!”

Everyone took a drink apart from one. Wanda Maximoff, dressed in a deep red flared dress, stood. “I have something to say.”

The women turned their attention to the red head. Nebula and Valkyrie, who were sat next to one another, shared a knowing look with the Scarlet Witch as if they knew what she was about to say. Wanda took a quick drink and then put it down, swallowing it with a heavy exhale.

“In the three weeks that everybody has returned, Nebula, Valkyrie and I have begun a project in honour of the Black Widow. Due to a grand portion of children and parents being lost to Thanos, we are working to reunite those families together again.” She spoke, earning surprised and proud looks from the other women. “So far, we haven’t managed a huge amount. We’ve been emergency housing the children at the Avengers compound with Nebula, others in New Asgard with Valkyrie and the Asgardians. But we need your help. We’re struggling with numbers; there’s so many children without parents, so many in poverty and so many families that aren’t reunited. We need your help.”

Gamora stood up forcefully, almost knocking the table back a couple of centimetres. “We will help.” She declared strongly. The guardian looked to her sister, the expression in her eyes was a mixture of pride and hurt. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She whispered.

Nebula shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t know how to.” She admitted. “I thought you wouldn’t want to.”

Gamora’s look softened, and she held her sister’s shoulder gently. “I will always help people like us.” She told her, thinking back to the childhood they’d shared. Nebula relaxed into her grip, and nodded quietly.

Hope spoke next. “We’ll help too, Ava and I.” She chimed. “I know what its like, being without their parents for so long. So does my stepdaughter, Cassie. Children without their parents or parent, isn’t right. That feeling of abandonment-“ The Wasp shook her head sadly. “Nobody deserves that.”

Other women voiced their own choruses of help; Laura offering to temporarily foster children onto the ranch, Okoye and Shuri agreeing to house children in Wakanda, Maria organising to set up a new children’s programme in S.H.I.E.L.D. The agent assured Hope she wouldn’t let S.H.I.E.L.D. do what they did to Ava. Carol offered her skills in aid of tracking people down, as did Pepper in using Tony’s will money to help with housing costs. Wanda smiled, thankful to no ends about the womens’ support.

“These children will find their families, thanks to your help.” Wanda thanked. “The Natasha Romanoff project will go ahead successfully – thank you. Thank you all.”

The women raised their drinks again, toasting the project with bright smiles and new determined faces. The rest of the dinner went ahead happily, everyone sharing their memories of Natasha with each other. It earned happy faces, laughing eyes and more drinks. By the end of it, they’d gone through several bottles of the lemonade and wine – and Nebula had devoured a good portion of the sausage rolls. Mantis had proved herself extremely skilled at eating strawberries.

Once new arrangements for the project had been made, and washing up had finished, the women began parting ways. Hugs, kisses, and promises of catching up soon were exchanged. They watched the sun go down together, danced to several ABBA songs and bid their thanks and goodbyes to one another. They all started to head home in groups; Nebula, Mantis and Gamora to the Avengers compound, Hope back to the Lang home, Pepper back to the Stark estate, Okoye and Shuri back to Wakanda and Maria and Wanda went back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Soon only Laura remained, with Lila heading down the hill to hug her mother tightly. The two Barton women stood in their embrace, just thinking about their fallen family member.

“I miss her, Mom.” Lila murmured into her mother’s sweater.

Laura rubbed her daughter’s back comfortingly, knowing the hurt she was going through. “She’d be so proud of you, you know that? She’ll always be here, Lila.”

Lila hugged her tighter, tears running down her cheeks. She missed her aunt more than anything. The redhead had always been someone she’d been happy to see, and someone she could confide in. Lila remembered how Nat would sit up with her on the phone as they talked through one another’s problems, how she would hug her tightly every time she saw her. Lila missed Nat more than anything.  “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So fun fact - whilst I was writing this I actually met Ava Starr! Well, I met Hannah John Kamen and I asked her about what she thinks Ghost is up to now - maybe I should make a chapter out of her answer!


	5. Minn-Erva - Part 1

Minn-Erva had been lying in the wreckage of her ship for approximately two hours before she closed her eyes to sleep. Everything hurt, and coming from someone who had literally been thrown almost one hundred metres by a photon blast: this was saying something.   
Her suit, which had been blackened and scorched by the fires raging around her, was ripped and broken. Her dark hair had been pulled out of its braid and now tangled in front of her bloody face. There was a gash on her cheek that went from her ear to the corner of her lips with blood trickling down the side. She had a black eye and another cut on her lower lip. Her foot, protected only by her boot, was crushed underneath what was left of the gearbox – rendering her immobile. The transmitter on her gauntlet was broken and patchy, meaning she couldn’t radio in for help. All of this, and the sweating underneath the desert sun. Minn-Erva was getting hotter and hotter whilst trying not to let any of the distress get to her to make her more so. 

She was lying on what was left of the front of the cockpit, broken glass digging into her back sharply. The wings lay a few feet away, burning from the lit fuel and creating an awful smell in Minn-Erva’s nose. What was left of the ship was upside down and half-buried in rock and sand. The entire cockpit was dark because of the sand it was pressed into. Nobody would find her underneath it. 

Despite the fire tearing through what was left of the pod, the arriving nightfall was slowly cooling her down. Although her breathing was exhausted and raspy, Minn-Erva did her best to keep doing so. It felt like someone was pressing down on her ribs, as if they were trying to crush them. She knew letting herself sleep was a bad idea – but she also knew nobody was coming for her. Minn-Erva was dying and she knew it.   
The only person who might save her was gone. Or at least, that’s what she thought. 

Minn-Erva didn’t know how long she’d been asleep when she suddenly felt an immense relief wash over her. Well, her foot anyway. She looked down to see the gearbox that was crushing her foot was gone, pushed away from the wreckage. Although it was still dark, Minn-Erva could see her way out from the moon shining through the gap behind the box. She started to try and shuffle towards it when a voice spoke through the darkness.

“Don’t move.” It growled. “I’ve got you.”

Minn-Erva’s heart sank: not when she recognised the voice but when she made out the face in the moonlight. She exhaled unhappily. “You’ve gotta be shitting me.” 

There was a low laugh. “Unfortunately, not.”

There, grinning through the dark, was the tiny blonde bombshell with the fire in her fists, Carol. She was staring back at her whilst on her hands and knees in the cockpit and trying to avoid the broken glass. Minn-Erva sighed. She would’ve rather had anybody else than her rival save her – even Att-Lass would’ve done. The Kree woman tried to hide her pain as Carol grabbed her sprained ankle roughly.

“I don’t need your help.” Minn-Erva snarled, pulling her foot out of the blonde’s grip. 

Carol’s face softened as she retracted her hand. “Minnie-“

“Don’t call me that.” The blue girl snapped angrily, managing to sit up without wincing as embedded glass fell from her back. Minn-Erva didn’t fail to spot the flash of hurt that flickered across Carol’s face, and she didn’t fail to feel her own hurt in her heart, but she brushed it off. She had more important things to worry about. “Are you going to move?”

Carol noticed she was hunched right in Minn-Erva’s exit and so graciously slipped back out and stood. With a lot of muffled grunts and small whimpers of pain, Minn-Erva finally emerged from the burning ship. She tried to wobble into an upright position, but ended up looking like a newborn horse before falling onto the sand. 

“Do you need a hand?” Carol asked. She was stood a few feet away, inspecting what was left of the pod. Maria had really done a number on it. 

Minn-Erva glared at the blonde, wiping the blood off of her own cheek roughly. “Well, I can’t get up on my own, can I?” She hissed sarcastically. 

Carol rolled her eyes and returned a smile. Minn-Erva hated it with a passion. How positive Carol always was, always had been. She had a smile and kind word for every situation which Minn-Erva had once loved. The blonde slinked an arm around the Kree’s shoulders and pulled her up like she was a rag-doll. Minn-Erva noticed the other arm going to hook underneath her legs so she smacked Carol’s shoulder. 

“Carol Danvers, don’t you dare carry me bridal style.” She scolded.

Carol quickly removed her arm, but a strange expression had come over her face. She looked expectant, curious even. “You know my real name?” 

Now it was Minn-Erva’s turn to roll her eyes. “Of course, I do. It was written on your flight…thing when we found you.” She replied, as if it was obvious. “You weren’t conscious.”

“But Yon-Rogg-“

“Yon-Rogg is an idiot and a shit leader.” Minn-Erva shot in quickly. “He didn’t want to use your real name in case you, maybe, remembered your past.”

Carol was silent for a moment, then burst out laughing. Minn-Erva looked at her, confused. That just made Carol laugh harder. “I’ve never heard you disrespect him before – I figured you always had something stuck up your ass about him.”

Minn-Erva rolled her eyes again. “Don’t be ridiculous.” She huffed, then gestured to the canyon ahead of us. “Where are we going?” 

“Nowhere until you let me hook my arm under your legs.” Carol replied, gesturing to the burning wreckage and Minn-Erva’s injuries. 

The blue woman considered the idea for a moment, wanting to be away from the ship but also not wanting Carol anywhere near her. She didn’t trust the former pilot, not any more. Once there’d been a time when she might’ve, but those days were long gone. Minn-Erva glanced at Carol again.   
She looked gentle, soft even. Her eyebrows were doing that thing, where they were raised ever so slightly in the middle. Her mouth was parted slightly, a small cut on her lower lip was beginning to bleed. Minn-Erva would’ve wiped the blood away if it wasn’t for the dark brown eyes that were watching her intently. 

Finally, she sighed and rolled her eyes for a second time. “Fine.”

Carol just nodded, and adjusted herself accordingly, doing her best not to hurt her further. Minn-Erva looked away as the heroine held her closely to her chest, and gently lifted off of the ground. Carol pretended not to notice Minn-Erva gripping her tighter as she got higher and higher into the night sky. 

“You alright?” She murmured once they were up properly. 

Minn-Erva nodded, although she couldn’t really see. Her hair, which was long and thick, was blowing in her face. Carol was warm to hold, despite the cold night air, and Minn-Erva clung on for dear life. She’d rather fall to her death than freeze. 

“Where are we going?” She called over the wind as Carol started flying properly, trying to shield her passenger from the wind as she did. 

“Somewhere safe.” Carol replied, keeping her eyes focused on flying through the clouds. 

Minn-Erva saw that the blonde was concentrating and so shut up. She was getting colder now, she almost missed sweating through the sun.   
The two soared through the sky for a couple of moments before Carol dipped beneath the clouds and into some city that Minn-Erva did not know. They landed gently in a narrow alleyway that was surrounded by tall buildings. 

“Where are we?” Minn-Erva asked, looking around at her surroundings as Carol kept her in her arms. The alleyway consisted mainly of dumpsters and drainage pipes with exits on either end for two main streets. She squinted the bright headlights of passing cars roared past. 

Carol grunted as she adjusted the other woman in her arms. “A friend’s place. You’re gonna need to walk.” She mentioned. 

Minn-Erva didn’t know whether to smirk or roll her eyes. “Am I heavy, is that it? I thought you were like, I don’t know, Superman. Super strength and all of that.”

Carol raised an eyebrow curiously whilst she put Minn-Erva back on her feet. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She said, shaking her head. 

“That kid of yours will tell you all about Superman, I’m sure.” The other woman replied, gingerly placing her foot on the concrete ground. When a sharp pain shot up her leg, she reluctantly leaned again on Carol’s shoulder. 

The blonde paused again, staring at Minn-Erva with a flash of hurt across her face. “You know a lot about me.” She remarked, looking the blue woman up and down. 

Minn-Erva didn’t speak: either not knowing what to say or just not wanting to, Carol figured. She just adjusted her grip on the heroine’s shoulders. Carol took that as an answer and the two began their walk out of the alley.   
They turned onto the main street, walking a few metres before they reached an apartment building. Carol was buzzed in without a word before the pair shuffled awkwardly up three flights of stairs. Finally, a knock on a rose-coloured door let them into a roomy apartment that overlooked the busy night city they’d entered. The walls of the apartment were a mixture of pale greens and blues, each decorated with little plants and photos and paintings. It seemed like nobody had lived here, at least not in a while. 

“Where-“

“If you ask where we are one more time, I’m going to punch you into the sun.” Carol interrupted, keeping her tone perfectly calm, not bothering to veil the threat beneath it. She sighed, shaking her head again. “We’re at my friend’s home, you know him, Agent Fury.”

“Yes, the dickhead with the flerken, I’m familiar.”

Carol rolled her eyes. “He’s out of town for a few weeks, something about a new initiative. We’re going to stay here until you’re better.” She told Minn-Erva, helping her onto Fury’s couch. “And he’s not a dickhead.”  
The Kree woman lay back, exhaling contentedly, finally glad to be comfortable. Carol ignored her as she went to get the first aid kit, finding a small note on the island of Fury’s open kitchen. 

Enjoy :)

Carol smiled at it, pulling the kit out of the bottom drawer before putting it down on the coffee table. Minn-Erva glanced at it uncertainly. 

“I don’t need that.” She told her in a firm voice.

Carol’s shoulders slumped, her eyebrows raised, and she tilted her head to the side. “You have a broken ankle, possibly some fractured ribs and a cut on your face longer than my middle finger. You also have a busted lip and a black eye.” She pointed out, her finger pointing to each injury as she did. “You’re starting to look like a swollen blueberry.” 

That earned a disgusted scoff from the Kree girl, so instead of answering she just laid back, reserving herself from Carol’s gaze. The blonde took that as her answer and busted open the first aid. Minn-Erva stared at the ceiling unhappily, wincing every so often as Carol dabbed the gash on her cheek. She tried to shut her eyes and go to sleep again, but just couldn’t. It was as if she could feel the chocolate brown eyes on her.   
“What is it?” She scowled, opening her eyes again and rolling her head onto her shoulder to look at the blonde. 

Carol paused for a moment, making brief eye contact with Minn-Erva. They held it there for a couple of seconds before Carol resumed patching the soldier up. 

“Nothing. I just, have so many questions.” She commented, pulling out a large, rectangular band-aid. She placed it on Minn-Erva’s eye carefully, smoothing it out with her thumb. “My whole life with you was a lie.”  
“Was it?” Minn-Erva shot back, a slightly curious look in her eyes. It could’ve been mistaken for hope, Carol thought – she didn’t pretend to ignore the longing in the other woman’s eyes.   
Carol swallowed, returning a half-shrug. Maybe that was a little cruel, she reckoned. Then again, Minn-Erva knew all about cruel. “I don’t know. You knew about my real name, my past and my family and you never told me. Sounds like a lie to me.”

There was an awkward silence between the pair before Minn-Erva broke eye contact to stare at the ceiling again. “I was protecting you.” She mumbled, finally. 

Carol frowned as she tended to a cut on Minn-Erva’s arm. “I don’t understand.” 

Minn-Erva shook her head, clicking her tongue with another scowl. “Of course, you don’t. You never did – too busy kissing Yon-Rogg’s ass all the time.”

“I never kissed his ass.”

“Oh yeah? All those training sessions at four in the morning, sitting next to him when we ate, always being his second-in-command on missions. You think I had a stick up my ass about him? Maybe you should take a look in the fucking mirror.” Minn-Erva snarled her words with venom, getting in Carol’s space.   
The blonde sat back on her haunches, and just let the Kree woman get it out. She knew she’d tire herself out soon. 

“You could never see that I was trying to keep you out of the line of fire, trying to beat you so he’d never pick you to do the most dangerous crap. I was trying to keep you safe – why couldn’t you ever see that? Why couldn’t you look anywhere except at yourself?” Minn-Erva continued, her tone getting nastier and nastier. She’d never been one to raise her voice, due to the fact her voice made the message clear. “You couldn’t even see when I was injured! When Yon-Rogg came to my room at night and punched me in the face and broke my arm for taking your shot – you didn’t even ask if I was alright! You’re so selfish, Carol.”   
She finished with shortened breath, her hair tumbling in front of her face and her sides starting to hurt more and more. Carol leaned her head back slightly, given that Minn-Erva was about three inches from it. She raised an eyebrow.

“You done?” 

Minn-Erva’s lower lip quivered as her dark eyes glanced to Carol’s. She sighed and leaned back again, grunting in pain. Carol shook her head, and returned to tending Minn-Erva’s wounds.   
Her words had stung Carol, both of them knew that. Now they were buzzing around her head like an insistent bug, and swatting it away was proving impossible. She pulled a bandage tightly around the cut on Minn-Erva’s arm, eyeing her broken foot carefully. Carol had done lots of broken limbs before, from her days in medical training, but never a foot as battered as Minn-Erva’s. 

Moving silently, Carol cradled the foot as gently as she carried babies. Mindful of the other woman’s sharp hisses of pain, she turned the ankle this way and that to test the painful areas. It took her a few moments, but she finally found a way of making a makeshift plaster for it, and then set about bandaging it up as best she could.   
Carol sighed as she pulled a new bandage from the first aid kit and began wrapping. “Why didn’t you say anything?” She asked heavily, looking at Minn-Erva with a sad gaze. Finally listening to her opening up was painful, and boy did she feel guilty.

Minn-Erva, yet again, had been trying to fall asleep. She was shattered and her breath was getting more and more laboured, and just wanted to close her eyes. But the blonde’s baby blues were watching her intently again, and she couldn’t resist. Now really wasn’t the time for a lengthy conversation, but neither was going to give in. 

“Because I couldn’t, I never could.” She exhaled tiredly. “Yon-Rogg ‘felt’ that if I confided anything in you, you’d start remembering about your past: your life before the explosion. That’s why we never hung out – I always liked you, Carol, it was never that.”

Carol could see how tired the Kree soldier was, and knew it was time to stop. Gently, she squeezed Minn-Erva’s arm before getting up and retrieving a blanket to drape over her. The other woman closed her eyes the moment the blanket was pulled up to her chin, murmuring softly as she fell asleep. 

“Thanks…Carol.”


End file.
